


Fallout Life (A Fallout: Post-Apocalyptic Roleplaying Game Fan Fiction)

by TheOnlyKingA



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 1
Genre: Action/Adventure, Caves, Explore, F/M, Fallout, Post-Apocalypse, Romance, Trouble
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-04
Updated: 2021-01-20
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:28:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,984
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24011335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheOnlyKingA/pseuds/TheOnlyKingA
Summary: A personal recreation of the events, of Fallout 1.Beginning at Vault 13 following the story but a reimagining of the events and people
Kudos: 2





	1. The Beginning of The End

I awakened to the blistering light of the vault, glaring in my eyes like a flashlight in the dark. I rubbed my eyes and rolled lazily over to climb out of bed. Slowly I collected my watch and opened the door to my wardrobe. Pulled out my usual Vault 13 jumpsuit ready for yet another day of boring work. I am a computer technician, I keep everything running smoothly around the vault, Along with keeping automated security under control. I slipped my shoes on and slumbered to the dining area where my best friend had already readied my breakfast for me. Seeing as she knew my routine day in and day out, it was little surprise. I slumped into my seat and picked up my spoon to start eating my sugar bombs. As I put my spoon in my mouth I looked up and everyone in the room was staring at me with the look of someone who just died. Y'know the concerned heartfelt look people get in their eyes? Well I had 6 pairs of that look. I noticed this look and I was puzzled, even Akira my best friend had the look. I looked at her "you look like I've just come back from the grave, What's the deal?" I said sarcastically, She continued to look at me and replied wearily "The Overseer wants to see you".

That's when I felt my heart sink and I realised that I was either getting a promotion or like everyone's look suggests I'm in deep shit. After that I didn't feel like eating so I pushed the bowl away and moved my chair back, which as if it could feel the tension in the room squealed a high pitched screech that would never have seemed so loud if everyone wasn't fixed on what I was doing. I moved out from my chair and pushed it back into the table and set off to the Overseers office, Just as I got to the door Akira grabbed my arm and hugged me like she'd never hugged me before and whispered in my ear "Be careful". Puzzled I nodded and said "stop worrying" with that I set back on my path. The walk down the hallway that usually took seconds to walk seemed to take forever. I finally reached the Overseers office and knocked on the door with an exceptionally louder knock than I had intended. I heard a few bits and pieces being moved around and with that I heard "Come in!" I open the door almost expecting him to be standing directly behind the door waiting for me but to my relief he's sat in his chair with the main vault control panel just in front of him. He looks at me with an almost sympathetic look which puzzles me but I sit down opposite him anyway. I was about to open my mouth when he quickly stops me by raising a hand and then clasping them in front of him, I keep my mouth shut and wait.

He nods and then continues to look at me with that eerie look in his eyes the kind of look you'd find in your worst nightmares. He begins to speak "Look, Max. I won't lie to you. if I had another choice I would take it without hesitation, but to the best of my and everyone else's knowledge we have no choice". I raise an eyebrow "elaborate?" I say, curious. The overseer sigh's "I need to ask of you something I wished I'd never have to ask of anyone". I nodded and kept my mouth shut in fear of saying something stupid. He continued for a while rambling on about how much he regrets to have to ask such things of me or anyone I finally interrupt him and say "Just get to it already will you?" He nods and begins "I need you to go outside the vault, Our water chip has given up the ghost and we don't have enough water reserves to wait around to repair it. We need another water chip and fast". I kind of just stare blankly at him expecting I should know what to say at this moment but nothing comes to mind other than emptiness. The Overseer nods and says "I understand if you would rather not take this responsibility and the risk is overwhelming but you are the only one with previous fighting and survival skills so you were my obvious first choice, My next is Akira". Her name rings through my ears like alarm bells and instantly I perk up and know exactly what to say "I'll do it, Anything to keep the vault safe, sir". The Overseer nods "Your courage and loyalty to the vault and its people is admirable, I will upload co-ordinates to the only other vault we know of to your pip-boy that should be your first place to look". I nod and with that, we have some idle conversation and I leave closing the door louder than I realised I had.

I stepped out I looked down the corridor and people were collecting near the main lift more than I even knew lived in this vault. I made my way down the hallway and I don't think I even knew there were so many different looks people could have on their face. As I reached the end of the hallway I saw Akira standing closest to the lift. I quickly jotted into my room and grabbed a couple of water bottles and an old trusty 10mm pistol which I've never used in my life but if I'm ever going to need it, Now's the time. I quickly hid it in my utility belt so no one could see it because guns were prohibited inside the vault unless they were locked in the armoury. I started making my way to the lift. Akira stopped me and kissed me lightly on the lips. Which I was taken back by more than anything else, She looked at me and whispered "I'll wait for you" I nodded and with that, I got into the lift and pressed the S button. "Surface," I said to myself, Christ what have I got myself into. I have no idea what to expect no one has been out of the vault for almost 120 years. I'm bearly a day over 19 and I only have fighting and survival skills because my great grandfather was in the war before the bombs fell. He taught his son everything he knew, as he did his son, and now as my father did me. He taught me everything he knew before he died 7 years ago.

Let's face it. It was me or Akira. I was the obvious choice. I felt the lift stop and the doors open I stepped out and all I could see was darkness. There was nothing, a light came on at the top of the vault door that lit up the surrounding area, I looked around but couldn't see much I looked directly to my left and for the first time in my life saw what the surface could do to someone. A man I'm guessing lay face down in a pool of what looks like dried blood in front of the vault door control panel, Mutilated and violated by whatever may be dwelling in this cave I quickly checked his bag and found myself some more 10mm bullets and a knife which would come in handy. After I had done checking the man's bags I took my first few steps into the, well whatever it was. I got a few feet out and could her some scuttling around me I quickly whipped out my 10mil and loaded 12 rounds of hollow points and cocked the gun faster than I knew what I was doing, I was frantically trying to see through the very dim light but it wasn't working, Just then I saw something out the corner of my eye and instantly swung round and shot at it. I heard a screech and guts explode from whatever I just shot. I knelt and tried to see but my efforts were futile.

After a few moments of staring at the dark floor I slapped myself in the forehead. "the light on my pip-boy!!!! DUH," I shouted to myself in a dumb sounding voice. Which echoed loud and I quickly realised was probably a stupid thing to do. As I flicked on the area light on my pip-boy I realised I had shot what looked like a rat. Guts spilt like a broken jar of excrement, all over the rocky surface it was walking on. I shivered in disgust and my mind wandered onto more pressing matters. I made my way through the cave, at least that's the only word that describes what I've seen so far. I could see a dim light in one direction and followed it. 10 or so minutes passed and I was still walking towards this mysterious light. I killed maybe another 12 rats that were trying to gnaw at my feet which surprisingly hurt when they got you, little ankle biters! Either way, nothing was getting in my way of getting to Vault 15.

I ventured further into the cave and I had a realisation that I didn't before. The cave was warm, really oddly warm almost like it had a self-heating system. I heard a noise and my mind was quickly sidetracked I spun around and pulled the trigger before I looked at what I was shooting at. I heard the noise of a bullet squishing something in its path as I got a little closer I realised I just shot a harmless chameleon that was crawling along the wall. I kind of felt bad but what's done is done. No time to dwell on the past. I kept moving quicker now because the light was getting brighter. I could see the end of the cave and ran straight out. I looked out and was instantly blinded by sunlight. It was so bright like I had been born again. Like I was using my eyes for the very first time. It took a while for my eyes to adjust, I climbed a small hill and looked from the top quickly realising why the cave was warm and that there was nothing for miles in any direction.


	2. Shady Sands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A desert adventure out to Shady Sands in search for a water chip!

I climbed a small hill and looked from the top, quickly realising why the cave was warm, There was nothing for miles in any direction. I had to sit down atop this hill as the vastness of the world was overwhelming there is nothing but sand. This must be what people before the war used to call a desert. It took me a few minutes to compose myself before I was able to set off again.

I took a quick look at my Pipboy and noticed the Vault I was looking for was a few days travel to the east, So I checked my compass and set off. I knew I had enough water to survive but if I didn't find something I could eat in the first couple of days I was going to have some trouble keeping my strength up. I had been walking for around 36 hours by now, the heat is scorching, the sand is too hot to touch. I'm lucky I have my working boots on that have steel-plated soles or else my shoes would have melted by now. I took a quick pit stop to drink some water and take a quick look at where my Pipboy said I was, Apparently I'm about a third of the way to the vault. I looked up and I could see what appeared to be a settlement on the horizon,

My heart skipped a little beat at the thought of civilization, This means that more people could be allowed out of the vault as there may be things we can learn and commodities we could trade for that people haven't seen or believed existed for years. But just as quick as that thought was in my head it was overtaken by the thought that they may not be friendly, This may be my first and last encounter with the outside world. So I set off towards the settlement. Keeping a close eye on my surrounding for any threats lurking to surprise me as a lone traveller.

A couple of hours later I got close enough to the settlement to see it was guarded by two people at the gate and there was a large high wall surrounding the settlement. I slowly edged my way closer and pulled out my 10mm pistol for safety, I slowly crept up behind a rock that was just out of sight of the guard with a gun. I didn't know if I shout shoot first and ask questions later, Or take a chance and try talking my way into working out if these people were any threat to me. I sat behind this rock for a good few minutes debating what my plan of action should be. I eventually concluded that I would approach directly from the front, but with my weapon drawn, That way they could see that I wasn't completely unarmed but I wasn't willing to shoot first. I stood up and worked my way around so I was directly in front of the settlement and started walking.

Instantly the guard with a gun perked up and started looking me up and down, He quickly spotted the gun and raised his, what looks like a rifle, and pointed it at me, To which I raised my hands and let my pistol fall around the finger I had on the trigger I hoped that if I showed I was no threat he wouldn't shoot, it occurred to me that he would have probably shot already if he was an initial threat.

I shouted, "I don't have anything of value, and I'm not here to cause trouble".

The man kept his gun on me, he shouted back "Holster the weapon and maybe we'll talk".

So I slowly opened my holster and re-placed my pistol then clipped it shut, I looked back at him and shouted: "Am I okay to approach?"

The man nodded and motioned with his weapon to keep moving, I slowly and calmly walked my way towards him until what was now obviously a rifle was practically stabbing me in the chest,

"I'm not here to attack, I'm trying to help my people survive," I said calmly.

He slowly lowered his rifle and started to relax "I'm sorry about that son, We've had a few raids this week, You can never be too sure these days, Welcome to Shady Sands, It's not much but it's home." His hoarse but experience voice said

"I understand, No harm done, I'm looking for something we call a "Water Chip", It's about this big (as I motion with my hands to show how big) and green with a light bulb attached to one corner, Have you seen one or know what I can find one?".

He shook his head "Nope, Sorry son, Ask my wife over there (he points to his left) She might know something she came from a vault she could probably tell you where it is"

"Okay, Thank you for you're help"

I turn to my left and see a beautiful woman, She has well-toned legs and her arms look remarkably muscly for a woman, Her face is fair and appears to glint in the sunshine, I'm unsure if this is an illusion or sweat. Either way, I step forward towards her and she looks me up and down then smiles. As I get closer I realise she has a couple of interesting scars on her face, The kind that make you ask questions, Even though you know they may offend someone. I decided those questions were best left unasked. I stood directly in front of her, Introduced myself and shook her hand. She shook my hand and replied "I'm Annabelle, A 'pleasure' to meet you, I see you've already met my 'charming' husband, Ralph, He can be a bit overzealous with that Hunting Rifle sometimes"

I didn't quite know why she emphasized the "pleasure" and "charming" but at this point, I wasn't interested in finding out

"The pleasures all mine, It's a fine weapon he has there, He has a reason to be proud of it, He said you could help me locate a 'Water Chip'?, He said you had come from a vault?"

"Oh he just can't keep his mouth shut can he, Yes I did come from a vault, Vault 15 to be exact. it's another couple days traverse east from here, I'm guessing you've come from Vault 13?."

Shocked I look at her and I'm about to speak when she laughs to herself

"You're still wearing the jumpsuit dear."

I look down at myself and remember there is a huge 13 written on my left breastplate, Doh.

"Oh sorry, I had forgotten, Is Vault 15 still in working order?"

"Honestly I couldn't tell you, hun, I left there almost 25 years ago now, I was only 10. I remember it being overrun with rats and molerats they overwhelmed the security and very few of us escaped with our lives"

"Oh. i..I'm sorry to hear that, I guess I'll just have to go find out myself. Is there anywhere I can pick up supplies in this town?"

"Sure, If you head down the back over there (she points to what appears to be an empty space) and take your third left you'll find the Doc's place, He's usually got some stuff to sell, can even help you out if you've been in a couple rounds too many. But then so can I, If you catch the drift"

Shocked and flustered I just nodded "T..thank you,

"I'll find the good doctor and I'll see about those supplies"

I set off a quick pace to find the doctor, That was the strangest encounter I've ever had, I know exactly what she was implying, and strangely enough, it interested me. but I can't be thinking about that now. I've got places to be, My people need me. With that, I took my second left and ran into the building. I quickly realized this is NOT where I was meant to be, I was greeted with 5 men. One of which was wearing a black leather jacket with one of the arms cut off, I instantly started backing away and quickly ran out the building and around the corner realising I was meant to take my third left so I ran down a little more and took my next left and into the building where I was greeted by a man who looked relatively young considering he's the town doctor.

This man looked at me

"You have no injury's so what the fuck are you doing in my house?!?

"Woah, I came to see if I could get some supplies, Annabelle at the front gate directed me here, I'm looking for some food".

"Annabelle sent you?, I do apologise if I was rude. Food you say? Sure I have plenty food" He pulls over a chest and opens it up,

"Take your pick. I'll give you some bits for free, You don't look like you've eaten in days"

I sift through some of the food in the chest and pick out a few bits and pieces most of which I've never even heard of, I just grabbed what looked good in hopes that I liked it, but to be fair anything right now is better than nothing

"Thank you, I won't take too much, I'll come back and trade for some more in a few days"

"Don't you worry about it. I'll see you later then"

With that, I left. On my way I ate something called "mutifruit" I believe it's a fruit, Altered by radiation, I'm pretty sure that's what the doc said, either way, he assured me that it didn't have enough radiation to be harmful unless I hate a couple of hundred. So I felt safe enough eating it. It tasted kind of like apples but with a strange aftertaste, I'm not sure how I would explain it. I got back to the entrance and I thanked Ralph for his help, I turned to look at Annabelle to thank her and she looked me dead in the eye, Winked and seductively licked her lips. I quickly just set off east as fast as I could. I didn't want to spend any more time around or insight of that woman than I needed to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Few more are already written, I'm just quickly reading over them and correcting the issues I find.


	3. Chapter 3: Fingers, Jaws and Massive Doors

As directed by Annabelle I set off East and I was walking for about a day and a half when I came across this, well what I can only describe as a shack. I readied my 10mm pistol remembering Annabelle mentioned something called "Molerats" which assuming whoever named this creature had the creativity of a brick wall, is a mutated crossbreed of a mole and a rat. Which I don't like the sound of in general. I moved up to the side the shack and tapped the door handle to ensure it wasn't trapped or anything, after convincing myself I'm just being paranoid.

I pushed the door but didn't step into the doorway in case something came running out, but to my surprise nothing did. I peered around the door, took a quick gander at the room. I didn't see anything dangerous so I stepped around, my foot crossed the threshold of the room and I heard a click, my heart stopped. I looked down and there it was, "a fucking bear trap?" I said to myself. Wha-how-in fact I'm not asking.

At this point luckily I know something about bear traps. I also know that as long as I don't release the pressure on the plate it won't totally rip my leg off. So, I take my 10mm and I press the barrel against the plate and push as hard as I can, hoping it's enough so I can get my damn leg out the way. So praying to whoever may be up there, if anyone, I pull my leg away slowly transferring more weight to my gun as I do. I sigh a breath of relief as my leg is clear but now I'm staring into jaws of steel, rusted steel, but still.

So, with my gun in the pressure plate, and my arm in direct line of the jaws, my only option here is to just pull my arm out as fast as humanly possible. So, with a deep breath, I snap my arm towards myself as fast and as straight as possible. I hear the jaws snap shut, I hear my gun topple over and then I see the floor, coming closer to me, then darkness.

I awaken to find myself slumped over the bear trap, face mashing nicely with the floor, I stand up and gather my bearings. Wipe the damp saliva off my face and realise my hand is wet, I look down and I scream, jumping and flailing my hand around, my right hand, as I suddenly notice it wasn't saliva on my face, it was blood. I soon realise I've been bleeding for a while now as my survival instincts kick in, I tear a sleeve of my jumpsuit and quickly use it as a bandage slash cloth to clean up my hand. Once I'd cleared the blood I realise, in my stupidity with the bear trap it's claimed my pinky and ring finger from my right hand, I quickly run over to the bear trap grab my gunfire off a couple of rounds outside and cauterise my now "finger stumps" with the White-hot barrel. As the heat singes my skin I squeal like a girl in pain.

Once the stinging went away and I could finally see straight again I realised it was dark out. I've no idea how long I've been out for, or what time it is. I lift my arm to check my pipboy and realise that actually the time in the vault has no relevance to what time it may or may not be out in this place. I look up into the sky and notice the moon is fairly high up. So I hazard a guess at around 2 or 3 am, Either way, dark or not. I need to find this water chip. So I muster my strength even though I feel like I've been hit with an Anti-personnel bullet, I keep moving. 

I grab my 10mm and put it in my left hand, In hopes that I'm just as accurate ambidextrously, I move towards the back of the shack and find myself faced with a set of dark rusty stairs heading downwards. I set off down the stairs keeping a close eye on my feet to ensure I don't fall through any of them, Or worse. more bear traps...I reach the bottom relieved, I take a look around the bottom and this place looks almost identical to the cave I came from out of V13.....

I carefully move further into the cave trying to be a quiet as possible and making sure not to make myself too vulnerable. I peer around what seems to be the millionth corner and see a light, It appears to be the same kind of light that I had turn on when I exited V13, but that's only hazarding a guess from the ambient light being emitted from around a corner. 

I lost my sense of cautiousness and I set off at a run, Towards the light. Cliché I know... I get to the corner where the light is coming from and I trip over something, Probably nothing but I'm sticking with it being a rock, and I go head over heels around this corner do a forward roll end up flat on my ass, I look up and it's there. I made it. The huge vault door much bigger than the one back at V13, With an almost perfectly intact 15 artistically painted on the door.


	4. Chapter 4: Vault 15

I sat on the floor, staring in awe at how massive this door is, You could fit the whole of V13 through this door, What the hell is inside this thing!. After I get over how dumbstruck I am by the size of this door I gather my wits and take a look around for the control panel. The control panel for V13 is right in front of the door but I can't seem to see one here, I walk a little closer to the door and see if it's hidden under any metal panels or hatches, but that'd be too easy. After about 20 minutes of looking I'm about to give up all hope, when I notice a switch embedded into the rock on the left side of the door.

I flip the switch and I hear some cracking, Then part of the wall on the other side of the door falls off and the control panel is hidden behind, No wonder I couldn't find it. I head over to the control panel and press a couple of buttons flip a few switches and being computer savvy I hacked the overseer's passcode to open the door, I hear a few rustic sounds and metal scratching against its insanely loud self. Then the door began to move towards me, I dived out the way out of instinct then remembered it comes away from the hatch, This massive door began to roll away from the huge hole in the wall as that's pretty much all it was. and stopped about a quarter of the way out, "bloody machinery" I said to myself.

I peered into the doorway and into the "lobby" so to speak of the vault and it seemed like it was identical to V13 just bigger, I mean the lobby in V13 is no larger than you're everyday automobile, But this is like the size of a nuclear reactor, Which seems rather ironic considering the reasons we built these giant lead and titanium rabbit holes. I set off inside, Taking in my surroundings as I go. Carefully counting how many steps it takes me to get to the other side end of the lobby, there is method in my madness. 

I get to the inside entrance to be greeted by an error on the control panel, Apparently the power generators are down, Which means everything is on emergency power, Which was probably caused by me opening the vault door after 25 years, so I'm going to have to manually override the automatic power to for the door open, Which depending on what Vault-Tec Operating system this vault was installed with, will either be really easy, or really damn hard. Let us hope it's easy. 

I fiddle around with the fuses in the panel and reconnect some wires that were pulled out for whatever reason and the panel flickers up a new screen, telling me that the power has been restored but the door is stuck, Vault-Tec doors stuck? The irony, Anyway, I'm just going to hack the systems operating system and override the warning, And hopefully it'll open the door at least enough for me to get through.

After a good 30 mins of guessing code and trying to find out what the overseers password was, because apparently he or she didn't use the same one for both vault main door and the inside entrance, (paranoid much?) I found it. Why on EARTH you would use Ponies69 as your password beats me, but I got in, I told the computer to force the door and it raised but only by maybe afoot, it's enough to crawl through. Just.

Crawling through the gap under the door I hear scuttling of what sound like clawed and padded feet at the same time, Which in the biological sense, doesn't make sense, at least not to the extent where you can hear the claws dragging, Thus. Kind of worried me, So I stayed as close to the inner door as possible as I stood up and readied my 10mm, Just as I was about to step out I quickly remembered that I have been firing a few times, I eject the mag and notice I've fired 4 bullets, out of a capacity of 12, I should probably reload, So as quietly as I can I eject the rounds from the clip so I don't waste any and grab a new mag. I slot it in the pistol as quietly as possible, Remembering there's still around in the chamber it saves me cocking the pistol. 

I put the spare rounds in my left breast pocket and I back up against the wall. still with the pistol in my left hand I hope, I really hope that I can still have some element of aiming like this, Until such times as I can get my hands on a medkit I don't stand a chance trying to use my right hand. It'll probably be infected soon too. 

I spin round the corner aiming at, this pink thing, It's about the size of a small dog, as fast as one too I soon found out, I squeezed the trigger once, twice, thee times, I couldn't hit the broad side of a vault wall at this rate, Every bullet missed squealing and blowing holes in the concrete floor a ricocheting off the metal grates periodically placed, I quickly realise this is a bad plan so I dive behind the wall just in time to get out of the way of the "molerat?" I'm going to assume this is a molerat, The molerat's lunge at my torso, I pull out the knife I found on the body outside V13 and I get ready to get a little more personal than I'd like to anything, let alone a mutated rat mole, 

The molerat comes round the corner once more lunging at my head this time, flything through the air I duck and take a quick slash with the knife above my head, and before I know it I'm covered in blood and insides, I can feel my stomach wretching, and with that I lean to my left, apparently. Mutifruit doesn't look good half-digested, That's disgusting. I pull myself together and stand up looking down at the molerat, "Sorry buddy, Kill or be killed I guess" I snap my head up to look at the ceiling, I'm apologising to a dead mutated animal? What the hell is wrong with me.

I clean the knife on the leg of my jumpsuit and I wipe the blood and guts off my face and hands, I set off around the corner and down the corridor, I so skilfully shot a few rounds at, I come to a large metal door which I assume is the vault's main lift, I press the call button and the doors open, I take a step in and lunge backwards almost as quick realising there is no lift there, I peer upwards and down to realise the lift is actually either not running or is disconnected.

I notice a rope still connected to the climbing hooks that maintenance workers use to move floors if a lift needs repaired, here goes nothing. I lower myself onto the rope and slowly work my way down the elevator shaft, Losing my footing a couple of times but I didn't die, Bonus. I climb down to the next floor, Climb onto the ledge of the elevator doors, If I remember rightly they should open on a hinge once I get them past a certain point. Something Vault-Tec added for fire escape safety, So I take my knife and ram it between the doors, Wedging them open slightly. I put my foot in the way of the knife so it keeps the pressure and reluctantly put my fingers between the newly opened doors, and pull as hard as I can. 

The doors rip open far easier than I expected and I almost end up mincemeat at the bottom of the elevator shaft, but luckily I regained my balance. I sighed in relief, picked up my knife and set off into the vault. the layout was entirely different to V13, this floor, Being the second floor, Was the overseer's floor, Which the technician and the librarians work on, Along with the overseer, In V13 that's floor 7, Guess it's my lucky day. 

I continue down the corridors checking rooms for the mainframe, I eventually come to a door that I can hear more scuttling behind, I can hear three or four sets of footsteps though, This time I decide to risk using my right hand and my pistol, I open the door and throw my knife down the corridor hoping that all or a couple of them will go chasing it. Two of them come full speed through the door, Bingo!, I grip the gun and pull the trigger, First shot misses, Now they've both seen me, I quickly pull the trigger twice more, Both bullets connected, They are still sprinting at me, I quickly reel off the rest of the mag keeping in mind I only have 6 rounds left. 

The molerats slide to a dead, bloody trailed stop at my feet and I rapidly stick another mag in the pistol ready for the next two, These two however don't come through the door. It's like they are waiting for me, I lean around the door and notice they are further back into the room, This might work to my advantage, I crouch down and put my back to the wall, I roll out and both molerats set off towards me, I take my time and take two controlled shots, both make a tasty looking hole in the molerats heads, "BOOM!" I shout at the dead molerats.

I quickly realise how stupid that was by the scuttling coming from behind me, I dive through the door pressing the control panel on the way past shutting the door, As I hear the door close I hear a rather audible squish, I turn to look behind me and I notice a molerat tried to dive under the door, Apparently he was too late, I quickly look around the room, spotting the mainframe I sprint over and start pressing buttons to see if the water chip is still working, only to find out it's already been removed, I smash the panel with my right fist, Speedily recoiling "Ouch! Fuck!" Damn fingers!. 

I realise that I need to find a way out, I need to get back to what was that settlement called? Graspy Vines? or..Y'know what, It doesn't even matter, I need to get back. I can't afford to be out here in this state, I'm hungry, my hand is getting infected I can smell it, It's revolting. I take the mag out of my pistol and replace the two rounds I spent plus the one that's in the chamber with the loose ones I put in my pocket. 13 rounds loaded, 6 rounds in my pocket and after that I'm pretty much dead meat. 

after an hour or so of planning, I conclude I'm better of making a run for it and trying to climb the elevator shaft instead of fighting my way out of here, I don't have a clue how many molerats are on the other side of the door, I don't particularly want to find out either. I holster my pistol and pluck up some courage, I stand beside the door and press the open button.

Four molerats come screaming through the door, I quickly dart out through the door behind them I count another three by the door but I don't stop, I can hear them all following me down the corridor, I take a glance behind me, They're catching me, but I should make the elevator shaft before they are close enough to jump at me, I'm only a few meters away from the shaft, I try to spot the rope I climbed down on, but it's shifted out of sight, and I don't have time to stop and look for it when I get there, So I dive, arms stretched in opposite directions to grab the first thing my hands come into contact with I slide across the tiled floor through the elevator shaft and my right-hand catches the elevator frame, I try to ignore the pain and grab the rope which ended up being on my left.

I slide down the rope a little and I notice two or three molerats come tumbling in after me, I quickly start to scramble up the rope. as fast as I can, I'm about to climb into the ground floor elevator door when I hear a scratching on the rocks of the shaft, I take a look down and realise the molerats are climbing the rocks like it was just another run in the park, I panic and lose my footing almost slipping off the elevator frame. I pull myself up a little slower than I would have liked, Quickly bringing myself to my feet and setting off at a sprint around the corner and down the inside entrance corridor, I remembered I counted the steps, 352 individual steps, Sprinting I run at around 4 normal steps per stride, So I'm looking at eighty-eight strides.

Hoping that it's taken the molerats a little longer to climb the elevator shaft I pray that I can run the distance before they catch me, I spin my head looking back and I can't see any of them. I think to myself they should be here by now, but I hope I'm wrong and keep running, I'm almost at the vault door when I hear claws on metal grates and I look behind me once again, Not to see molerats, but something bigger, I mean it's like bear size, has fur, brown, but it's claws, feet and face still look like a molerat.

I use whatever energy I have left to run that little bit quicker, I can hear it now. It's bounding towards me, Judging by the time between landings it's leaping a huge distance, I can see the light on the outside of the vault door now. Just a little further, I look behind me and whatever this thing is, is catching me, and much faster than I thought it might. I leap the gap in the vault door hoping that it can't fit through as easily as I did.

It leaps at me, everything seems to travel in slow motion, My fingers fumble around the clip on my pistol holster, I look down to pull out my pistol look up and it's practically in my face, I close my eyes, point in the direction of the rat thing and pull the trigger as fast as I can, but I only hear one shot, then it lands on me, with what seems to be a ten-tonne weight, I tilt my head to one side expecting to be mauled.

"You going to lie there like a prune all morning?" A strange voice comes from beside me. I open my eyes to find the creatures face just staring at me, but this time it has a rather large hole through its head. I turn to look to my other side by the vault door and there's a man, Long dark hair, Relatively sporty-like build, wearing. Woah, Wearing a leather suit with an arm cut off, Is this the same man I almost ran into in shady sands?

He extends his hand to help me up I grab it and roll the creature off me and stand up, "Uhm, Thanks guy" I say with a nod, He laughs a little, "you look like shit mate" I hear a tonne of sarcasm, I laugh "all in a days work my friend, all in a days work". He motions his head to set off walking back through the cave, I nod and follow on.

"Whats brings you to this hell hole anyway" He opens conversation. "I'm looking for a water chip, For my vault a few days west of here, This was the only other vault we knew the co-ordinates of," I explained. "I see," he said. "Well you're lucky you came running into my house in shady sands then huh?". I laughed nervously "Uhm, yeah sorry about that." - "You were looking for the docs house" he cuts me off, "Y-yeah third left not second". "common mistake, Happens all the time with the traders. Oh, and while we're at it, The things you call 'Molerats' are actually 'pigrats' The big thing you just got up close and personal with is a molerat, They're fast, agile and won't hesitate to rip your arm off."

"Wait, How did you know I-".." I've been following you since shady sands, I wanted to see what kind of character you were", "Why would you possibly want to know what kind of 'character' i was?" I replied in frustration. "Because recently I got injured in a raid, I've been recovering for about 2 weeks now, I followed you to see if you were worth my time, and so far I'm impressed, we'll get you back to shady sands, get you rested and fixed up. Then we'll talk"

I nodded, the walk back to shady sands was particularly uneventful, and silent for the most part. We got to the front gates, The man in the leather suit turned to me, "The names Jack, By the way" he extends his hand, I shake his hand "Max, Thanks for your help" he nods and turns to go back to his house.

I don't feel particularly well, I make a beeline for the doctors, Drag myself through the door, "Doc, I uh..." I pass out.


	5. Chapter 5 : Kidnap, Raiders and Darkwater

I wake up, Groggy and feeling like a train wreck. I rub my eyes to try and get rid of the blurred vision, I sit up and look around. I notice I'm laying in a bed, In a stone building, I can hear voices but they're muffled. I cough and quickly cover my mouth with my right hand, Apparently I'm coughing up blood.

This can't be good, That's when I hear the door slam shut, I perk up and snap my head round to see the doc looking at me astounded, "You're actually alive, I was beginning to wonder". "What the hell is that meant to mean?" I demanded, He laughs patronisingly, "You have no idea do you?, You've got some serious radiation poisoning, And apparently you're already mutated". I shake my head and quickly find the nearest reflective surface and look at myself, "But I look fine! I feel like I've been hit by a truck but I'm okay?!". He chuckles "I never said it was seriously bad mutation. If you listened. I just said you've mutated".

I quickly check all my limbs, hands, feet, arms, legs, Yup all there, fingers, yup all 10 fing...Wait " WHAT THE FUCK!??" "i...my...Doc?" Thud I pass out. I wake up again, a couple of minutes later, face on the floor and the doc keeled over laughing. "I'm glad this is all so amusing to you" I say sarcastically.

"Get up man, It's not every day you find out you can regenerate lost limbs, well. Fingers, I dunno about limbs," I pull myself together, staring at my hand, Squeezing my finger, moving it, At one point I bite it, Just to make sure it's all working properly. "So..you're telling me that my finger is okay? It's all working as it should be, and that I can regenerate small parts of my body?"

"That's exactly what I'm telling you, Oh, and you heal pretty fast too. at least from small wounds, like animal bites, not so deep gashes, Oh and probably broken bones" The doc continues listing all these mundane wounds and I zone out. Almost in a trance about having my finger back, I can properly use my pistol again without worrying about the pain.

I'm brought back to attention by the door slamming again, I look up and see Jack, "Good to see you've finally returned to the land of the living" He says with a hint of sarcasm, "Oh you're funny, I haven't been out that long!" Jack raises his eyebrow and looks at the doc, "You haven't told him yet?" The doc shakes his head "I was hoping you would. I'm not good at sentimental"

My eyes dart to and from the doc and jack, "Tell me what?".....

"You've been out almost three weeks, We've been keeping you alive by feeding you liquid food by tube, Yes, We even had to change your clothes and clean you up so nothing got infected, You took a fair few scratches in vault 15, You've healed up pretty good though"

"Wait, you mean, I've been out almost 21 days? Oh man, That practically cuts a quarter of the time I had left off, SHIT!" I say a little louder than I thought. By my calculations, The vault would have had about 70 days, 75 at a push, I spent 4 days up until now, plus the 21 I've been out, That leaves the vault with about 50 days, Give or take a couple. This isn't good. I have no idea where I need to go, No idea What I'm actually going to do.

I mean if vault 15 didn't have a water chip and the computer was too busted to get any information from..."There's a trader I know just south of here. He might be able to help you" Jack interrupts my thought process. "Why will a trader be able to help me?" I responded,

"He's a little more knowledgeable about the surrounding settlements, he might be able to tell you in which direction we need to travel"

"We?" I repeated sarcastically, "Yes, 'WE' need to travel. I'm going with you, whether you like it or not." I just nodded my head and began gathering my things. I guess Jack has become a companion in my crusade that for a reason currently unknown to me he has taken onto his own shoulders to share my burden. I haven't convinced myself if this is a good thing yet, I still technically know nothing about this man. However, after Vault 15, The man saved my life, I'm not sure there is a better kind of trust than the one you get knowing someone put their own safety at risk. Just to ensure yours.

Once I'd finished packing I grabbed my pistol and set off out the door. Jack was waiting by the main gate. I set off towards him, still feeling groggy from all the meds, but I couldn't shake this nightmarish gut feeling I had. The kind of feeling I had back home, that fateful morning that started this journey. I'm not entirely convinced it's not just side effects from radiation poisoning, but either way, I ignore it and we set off into what seems to be a vast, heat warped, endless desert horizon.

We have been walking for a couple of days now, Jack says he knows where he's going and it's not far now, but I feel like he's been telling me that for at least 24 hours. We notice a settlement off to the east I perk up and mention it but Jack quickly hushes me and turns to set off a little more west, aka, in the opposite direction. I sensed a hint of fear from Jack, for the first time since I met him, I don't question or pry any further. I don't like putting my full trust in someone I don't know, especially when they don't tell me details of our journey. I keep my mouth shut and trek on, regardless of my doubts. I just hope these aren't my last days, I need to battle on. For the vault, for Akira.

I snap to attention to find myself thump to the floor, I realise I must have passed out at some point during our journey, but instead of stopping and resting, Jack merely slung me over his shoulder like a small child and has been carrying me for......Holy crap, at least 6 hours. Jack laughs at me and holds his hand out to get me up, I grasp it and pull myself back to my feet, Jack sensing my confusion simply looks at me with a relieving look and says "Dehydration, don't panic. It happens after you heal from radiation, especially after how much you took". I nod not entirely satisfied with his explanation but it's the only one I have. I quickly check my immediate gear, pistol is still here, ammo, magazine is still full, one in the chamber. Satisfied I haven't been sabotaged I concentrate back on our walk.

Soon after Jack perks up and lightly slaps my shoulder and points at the horizon, I squint and can faintly make out what appears to be a wall but it doesn't look like a your normal wall. I look at him confused, "It's junk town for a reason mate, We gotta make do with what we can get our hands on" Jack chuckles at me during his sentence. Once a little closer I realise the wall is made up on auto-mobiles, "Auto-mobiles!?" I exclaim. "Cars man, We call them cars". I feel like a child being scolded by my parents. I laugh it off and pretend that I knew what they were called. 

We aren't far off the settlement now, I can make out a gate or a tunnel-like entrance, Two guards, Both holding rifles. This doesn't bode well for our health...We get within ten meters or so and one of the guards shouts across to us "What's your business in Junk town!?" "We're here to see Killian! He's a friend, Tell him Jack's here!" At this point I'm confused but I just go with it. "Jack?! I didn't recognise you for a second, Come on in!". Jack shakes hands with one of the guards, He's a big man, Toned, full of muscle, he is however a weathered man, has a tired look to his eye but he stands with a purpose. 

Jack finishes greeting the man and he introduces me, "Carl, This, This is Max. He wandered into Shady Sands like a lost lamb, Poor souls a "Vault Dweller" (He makes a finger gesture as he says this, I do not understand) Carl laughs "You're fucking serious?!" He furiously shakes my hand, It actually hurts a little "Nice to meet you, Carl" I nod in acknowledgement. "Head on in, Killian will shit himself when he meets the Dweller". Carl laughs with Jack for a while, soon to be cut short by a gunshot near-by. 

I whip out my pistol by instinct and look at Jack, "Whoever took that shot means business, That's a 7.62 hunters rifle" another shot goes off in the distance, this time it echoes piercingly. I tap Jacks shoulder and nod at Carl, Carl tells the other guard to stay at the entrance but keep out of sight. I set off into the settlement with Carl and Jack in tow. 

My heart is racing, Best welcome to a new town, Gunfire. *Fucking brilliant* I think to myself. I peer around the entrance to find the place deserted, I look at Carl and Jack, "Most likely target? We need to get there fast" I whisper, "Carl nods in the North West direction, Darkwater's Junkstore. It's the ONLY target". I signal him to lead on, We move quickly but cautiously. 

This whole town is made up of junk, Scrap corrugated iron makes up the walls to buildings, crushed junk auto-mobiles make up the walls, empty barrels and bricks make up fire-pits for heating. This place has it's name down to a tee. It's hot, dusty, but there's a feeling of peace to this place. Despite the destruction around it.

Carl stops abruptly, He points me over in the direction of one of the larger buildings I've seen in Junk town. There's a sign above the door, Darkwater's Junkstore, It's fresh, undamaged and has a new coat of paint, Blue writing with a brown outline and it's an oval plaque. We all move up to the doorway to see a man holding a rifle, pointed straight at a man, He holds himself unlike anyone else I've seen. He's a relatively small man, he has fiery orange eyes, he is obviously full of personality and appears to be very confident, because at this moment in time, with a gun that could blow a hole the size of my fist through his chest pointed at him, he is not afraid, he almost seems like he is enjoying it. Out the corner of my eye, I spot someone sneaking around a corner behind us and off to our right, I snap my pistol up and point it with purpose. The woman pulls out a knife and begins to throw it, knowing I have no silencer I hesitate for a split second, Carl, however, doesn't, with a quick *Bang! Bang!* My ears are ringing and the woman slumps to the floor a bullet to the chest and a bullet to the head. "NO!! KAREN! YOU BASTARDS!" The man with the rifle screams, now with a cocked head towards us. He quickly snaps his attention back to the small man in the store, he brings the rifle up to his shoulder and plants the stock firmly, Knowing where this is going I swivel around the door, bring my pistol up and fire 4 bullets, The noise of the gunshots ringing through the metal structure. I hear a fifth shot, but it didn't come from me, or the man with the rifle, I look over to see the small man with a .50 AE Desert Eagle with smoke coming from the barrel. The man with the rifle hits the floor with a definitive squelch. At that range, a .50 cal bullet from a Deagle, I could probably fit my head in the exit wound, this won't be pretty. I notice him pointing his gun at me now, I slowly stand up, raise my hands and allow my pistol to swing around my trigger finger by the finger guard, he nods and I holster it. 

"Killian! You lucky S.O.B a second later and you'd be wallpaper paste, You thank our friend here with a Desert Eagle to the face? Come on!" Jack shouts while walking in the door past me. "Jack? Is that?! What in nuclear's name are you doing here?! Word with the traders is you were brahmin food". The small man (obviously Killian) shouts. "Our friend needed a desert tour guide, and you know me better than that, Couple of bullets can't take me down" he gestures me over, so I walk towards Killian and Jack, "Killian. Meet Max, our very own Vault Dweller" Killian's eyes immediately light up with interest, intrigue and suspicion. "He looks me up and down, You certainly have the gear, but are you really a dweller?" I nod "Yeah, My vault is 13" I spin and point and the giant 13 on my back "Our water purification chip fried a while ago, I got sent out to see if I could find a replacement, However, before we get into that, do you mind telling me who I just put bullets in?"

Killian seems to relax a little as if I have eased his suspicion, "Raiders, They have a camp not far from here off to the west, They like to come down here now and then and try to steal stuff from my store seeing as I'm the furthest north trading post, and the closest to them" he laughs, "fifth time this month, That's up from three last month" Jack chirps up mid-sentence "Well, you are lucky we arrived just in time huh?" Killian chuckles "yeah I guess I was, Thanks by the way (he says looking at me) I'm not sure I could have got Sally out in time before I had a hole in my chest". I look back at the dead raider, walk over a grab his rifle, "7.62, This can do some nasty damage, Where'd some raiders get weapons like this?" "Raping and Pillaging anyone and anything they find" Jack and Killian both say almost simultaneously. 

We talk some more, Killian offers me an upgrade to my suit to add some more armour make some of it less cumbersome. I welcome the offer but before we finish we hear running steps at the door, All three of us draw our weapons and point at the door waiting, Ralph comes stumbling and falling the door of the store, Me and Jack quickly holster our weapons and Jack signals Killian it's okay. We all move over the Ralph to keep him on his feet, "Ma...Max! J...Ja..Jack!" "It's all right pal, catch your breath, calm down" Ralph stands up straight and takes a few deep breaths finally catching his breath he looks at us both with a grave look "Thank Atom I found you guys ( * Who the hell is Atom?* I thought to myself) It's Shady sands. I've been trying to catch you guys for days now" "You couldn't have been far behind us, We've only just got here ourselves" I explained. "The..T...The Raiders...." Ralph stutters again, Jack puts a hand on his shoulder, "Spit it out, man!" "The Raiders! They took Tandi and Annabelle!"

**Author's Note:**

> Unfortunately due to a very uncreative stint, I no longer have a focus as to what my goal for this fic was. I have attempted to re-read to jog my memory but alas I cannot seem to get the right setting or tone in my head for continuing this. If it comes back to be, be sure I will begin writing it again, until then, it will be on hold for the foreseeable future.


End file.
